Durbin's statement on Burris (not good)

[ProSense]

You're Outta Here

02.18.09 -- 7:48PM By Josh Marshall

Durbin gives Burris the old heave-ho ...

(ed.note: As you can see in the statement below, there's really little daylight between what Durbin says here and just coming out and calling on Burris to resign. And Durbin is his senate colleague from Illinois, has known the guy for 30 years and is very close to Obama.)

DURBIN STATEMENT ON SENATOR ROLAND BURRIS

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement today on the evolving situation regarding Senator Roland Burris (D-IL):

"When we met with Roland Burris in January, we made it clear that in order for him to be seated in the U.S. Senate he needed to meet two requirements - first, that he submit the proper paperwork certifying his appointment, and second, that he appear before the General Assembly's Impeachment Committee to testify openly, honestly and completely about the nature of his relationship with the former governor, his associates and the circumstances surrounding this appointment."

"We asked him to testify in the impeachment proceedings, not to embarrass Roland Burris, but to give him an opportunity to clear the air regarding this appointment from a tainted governor. Our hope was that he would use that opportunity to assure the people of Illinois and the other members of the United States Senate that he was not involved in any wrongdoing."

"Now the accuracy and completeness of his testimony and affidavits have been called into serious question. Every day there are more and more revelations about contacts with Blagojevich advisors, efforts at fundraising and omissions from his list of lobbying clients. This was not the full disclosure under oath that we asked for."

"These news reports and the public statements by Roland Burris himself are troubling and raise serious questions which need to be looked at very carefully."

"The State's Attorney in Sangamon County is reviewing the affidavit and other materials associated with Senator Burris' testimony to see if criminal charges are warranted and the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee has begun a preliminary investigation into this matter."

"This is the appropriate course of action and I await the outcome of those investigations. The people of Illinois deserve nothing less."

[babylonsister]

1. Good. Rec'd. nt

[lisa58]

2. Ditto - he needs to go - he cannot be trusted

[Mojambo]

3. Not good for him. Very good for people who want honesty, transparency and accountability.

Get this yahoo out of the Senate.

[WheelWalker]

4. So long, Roland. Thanks for play'n.

:nuke:

[Thrill]

5. Wonder how much he paid for the seat? Will we ever know?

[MadBadger]

8. He was probably the only one that even tried to find some money

So he got the seat!

[MadMaddie]

6. Bye...Bye...

He lied, what's so hard about that?

[jefferson_dem]

7. Good.

The Burris selection stunk to high heaven from the get go. Time to scrub it away.

[Still Sensible]

9. Regardless of whether or not he actually raised or promised

to raise money for the governor, his failure to fully disclose his discussions with others about fundraising is utterly inexcusable under the circumstances. He needs to resign.

[Cha]

10. Good statement from Durbin.

The burning question is why did Burris come clean now? Did I miss something?

[Vinnie From Indy]

16. Two possibilities for his recent behavior

One, he is a moron and becuase he couldn't shut-up, he opened a can of worms that will take him out of the Senate. Two, Burris suspects or has been told that he is on the Blago FBI wiretaps negotiating for the seat. Either way he is a dumbass with zero sense of honor. Anyone taking the appointment from Blago didn't deserve to have it. It was a tainted appointment from the get-go.

[rvablue]

21. I would go with #2 n/t

[Cha]

31. I agree, Vinnie

from Indy. I just wanted to get a second opinion. He wanted it too much and didn't care how he got it.

There's a moral here.

[opihimoimoi]

11. That he was not forthcoming with answers re his contact with Blogo's Team means he is TOAST

[Colobo]

12. I never liked Burris. He's a corrupt POS just like Blago.

[MindMatter]

13. Follow-through on this is important for Obama's credibility

Obama won because he convinced people that he was fundamentally different from the corrupted politicians that have ruled the roost for generations. So far, he has made some great strides being true to those ideals. The Harris appointment is a huge blemish, and if his seat stands, it will overcome much of what Obama has tried to do. It will be a lasting reminder that corruption rules.

They have to get this guy out. It didn't take the IL legislature long to impeach and convict Blogo. It seems they have ample basis for doing the same to this guy.

[rvablue]

22. Not quite sure who Harris is. But the Burris appointment has NOTHING to do with Obama

or his credibility.

[MindMatter]

25. It has EVERYTHING to do with Obama

It is his state. His seat. Nobody is accusing him of corruption, but when a man runs on a platform of ending corruption, his successor shouldn't immediately perjure himself in sworn testimony before the Legislature.

[rvablue]

29. And how exactly was Obama first, supposed to block the appointment and second, keep Burris from

lying.

It doesn't matter that it is "his state" or "his seat."

He didn't have anything to do with it.

It's on Burris himself now, who doesn't seem take care too much about Burris, and the Senate to try to fix this. Otherwise, the Dems are going to have to find someone to hit out of the park in the next primary.

[NYC Liberal]

14. Yup. Burris shouldn't have accepted an appointment from Blogo.

Nobody should have, whether there was something fishy going on or not. And obviously here there was.

[politicasista]

15. He should have just said no

He played right into Blago's hands.

And he looks like my godfather (seriously!). And ironically, he lives in Chicago. :scared:

[kevsand]

17. I think Burris probably serves out the term.

When one looks at what Burris actually said in his testimony, there does not appear to be sufficient grounds for the Sangamon County State's Attorney to prove perjury, let alone even file the charges. Barring that, there is no legal way for anyone in Illinois to remove Burris from office.

That leaves it entirely up to the Senate Ethics Committee. Nearly everything that has been revealed so far is grounds for nothing more than a censure or reprimand, at best. None of what has come out constitutes grounds for removal, with one notable exception: the possibility that Burris attempted to raise funds for Blago, even if he failed in that effort. The circumstances and details of that effort then become of paramount importance, and there must be a clear quid pro quo in that particular instance to rise to the level of a removable offense.

Removing a seated Senator is a deadly serious move. It almost never happens unless the Senator is criminally indicted. Based on everything we know so far, there is nothing yet that will get Burris indicted. I predict that the Senate Ethics Committee will slap his hand, but will stop short of removal.

[Psephos]

18. Much to the delight of repugs n/t

[Honeycombe8]

19. The Dems need this problem like a hole in the head. Blogo has really

taken the country's eye off the ball, all during this fiasco. What a sleezeball to create this problem in the first place (Blogo), and a sleazeball to insist on being seated and causing this problem. Yeah, THEY really care about their country. Sure, they do.

[frazzled]

20. Now he can have a new line engraved on his beloved tombstone

"U.S. Senator: January 16, 2009 - February 20, 2009"

[depakid]

23. "troubling and raise serious questions which need to be looked at very carefully"

Decoded:

Get used to Burris, because he's here in the Senate until 2011.

[Tatiana]

24. Burris should never have been seated. Reid and Durbin shouldn't have caved.

I understand they wanted the unquestionable vote with on upcoming legislation, but still. Principles do matter.

I hope the moron resigns or the ethics committee recommends voting to expel him. Or something.

Let Pat Quinn make the appointment, like she should have.

[karynnj]

26. He needs to resign

Not telling the full truth to the Impeachment Committee is enough reason. As he was appointed to begin with, there is not even the element of changing the will of the people. He should resign and Quinn should pick someone else.

[olkaz]

27. Proud to have Durbin as my senator.

He's been right on this whole situation from the very beginning.

If we had more guys like him in charge in Illinois, we wouldn't have ridiculous messes like this.

[WeDidIt]

28. If Burris has any honor whatsoever

he will resign today.

Otherwise, he belongs where Blagojevich is going.

[AtomicKitten]

30. He will cling to the seat like Blagojevich did his, loudly and vociferously before a microphone.

If he had an iota of class, he's resign tout suite.